Odious rag

Press Release
The People's No Campaign
23rd September 2005

Campaigners force Council to remove EU Flag

Wear Valley District Council has been long flying the EU flag outside its council offices. Its Leader, Olive Brown is a representative on the EU's Committee of the Regions. Neil Herron and Bishop Auckland and Wear Valley District Council resident resident, Jim Tague, decided action needed to be taken against this blatant attempt to promote the EU.

The Regulations for the flying of flags is controlled by the Department of Culture Media and Sport. The flying of flags other than the Union flag is regulated by the Town and Country Planning Act 1992 Regulations on the display of Advertisements.

As the European Union is a political project a Local Authority will also be in contravention of Section 19 of the Local Authority Guidelines on Publicity...ie. you cannot use public money to attempt to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a political matter.

So, any Local Authority flying an EU flag must be asked politiely to remove it as they will not have planning permission and are in breach of the Section 19 guidelines.

The request for an explanation as to whether WVDC had planning permission to fly the EU flag was made by Jim a couple of weeks ago and yesterday WVDC confirmed that they had no authority or permission to fly the flag.

This morning the Cross of St. George had been hoist on the flagpole in place of the EU flag.

Neil Herron states: "It is not acceptable for any Local Authority to be promoting the EU... a corrupt, undemocratic, unaccountable, profligate bureaucracy. The EU is a political project and cannot be promoted using taxpayers money. Flying a flag amounts to blatant propaganda. Within twelve months we will ensure that no EU flag will be flying from any public building in this country.Well done to Jim Tague for bringing the matter to a speedy conclusion."

We now expect every other Council across the country to start obeying the law and remove any EU flags from public buildings.

And Burn Them

A Guide to Flag Protocol in the United Kingdom
(An extract from the book “British Flags and Emblems”)

The Proper Disposal of Flags
When a flag becomes tattered or faded and is no longer in a suitable condition for use, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, for example by burning it privately, or by tearing or cutting it into strips that no longer resemble the original flag.



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